Hood latch



May 9, 1933. N. A. MEARS ET AL 1,907,432

noon LATCH Filed Jan. 2, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ira/@7750? M y 1933- N. A. MEARS ET AL 1,907,432

HOOD LATCH Filed Jan. 2, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @WMLM Patented May 9 1933 UNITED STATES PATE T NORTON A. MEARS AND CHARLES A. PERRNON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,'ASSIGNORS TO CHICAGO FORGING & MANUFACTURING 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS HOOD LATCH Application filed January 2, 1932. Serial No. 584,386.

Our invention relates to a device for latching the double hinged closure of an automobile hood and has for one purpose the provision of such a latching or securing means which shall be easy to operate and shall securely hold the lower edge of the hood in such fashion as to prevent rattling. Another object is the provision of such a device which shall have for efiect to draw the lower edge of the hood closure both downwardly and inwardly in order to hold it firmly. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

lVe illustrate our invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure l is an inner elevation;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a detail;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of F i 'ure 1;

igure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 with parts in a different position; and

Figure 7 is a detail.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 2, 5 and 6 show the latch in varying positions, the device being in the latching position of Figure 2, approaching the release position in Figure 5 and fully released in Figure 6.

A indicates a portion of the automobile frame and A an upward extension therefrom, upon which is mounted a bracket A having a forward face A downwardly and outwardly inclined toward the inner face of the hood closure A. The portion A may be provided with a reinforced lower lip as at A5 Mounted on the inner face of the closure A is a bracket B having the upper flange B apertured as at B and the lower flange B apertured at as B t will be understood that the upper aperture 13 is of greater length than the aperture B but may be of substantially the same width. The two apertures may be bounded at their inner ends as by the lips B B bent from the stock of the flanges B and B Slidable in the brackets so formed and in the apertures B B is a shank C herein shown as U-shaped in cross-section and including a forward'portion C and side portions G bent at right angles thereto to form a channel. The side-portions C are expanded at their lower ends as at C the sheet metal portion C being formed with hook-shaped apertures or notch s C The shank C and its associated portions may be described as a latch bolt. Pivoted within the member C as at C is the release and handle lever C having the outer handle portion C The lever C as shown for example in Figures 2, 5 and 6, includes a bent or U-portion C which passes through an aperture C- in the member C and through an aperture G in the closure A; It is also provided with a notch or indentation C which, when the parts are in the locking position in which they are I shown in Figure 2, conforms generally to the notch C The notch is slightly narrower than the notch C in such wise that the face C of the notch G actually engages the lip A of the keeper, when the parts are in looking position. In other words it is the lever C which directly receives the-locking aperture rather than the side memberG of the channel shank G.

The shank or latch bolt C and its associated lever C are normally constrained toupward thrust against the lip A by the employment of a coil spring D which is compressed between the upper face of the bracket flange B and any suitable abutment D, for eX- ample a pin, passing through the side members C of the shank C. The expansion of the spring D tends to move the shank C upwardly through the apertures B B of'the bracket B. The engagement of the face 0 with the lip A, as will be clear from the relation of the parts in Figure 2, effects a camming, locking action, the upward movement of the face C tending to draw the lower edge of th hood not only downwardlybut shown in Figure 2, that it is the cam surface C of the lever C which engages the lip A and not any portion of the notches 0* of the members C Therefore, during the locking position a camming. relationship is at all times maintained between the lipA and the cam surface C of the lever C.

In moving of the latch bolt from the unlatched position of Figure 6 to theeintermediate position of Figure 5 in preparation to the latching position of Figure 2, the lever C also engages the lower end of the aperture C and permits the shank C to be moved downwardly through the guides B B In order to permit the ready snapping of the latch bolt over the lip A we have formed the upper guide aperture B of greater length than the lower guide aperture 13*. It is also greater than the width of the shank C whereas th lower aperture B conforms closely to the width of the shank C This permitsa certain tilting of the latch member, with the lower guide aperture B as the pivot or fulcrum. This tilting, however, is normally resisted by the employment of the small coil spring E which is compressed between the abutment member E slidable in the aperture 13 and the outer end of the aperture B". The abutment E is channeled or notched as at E in order to guide it for movement along the slot or aperture B When the handle 0 is releasechand as the spring E expands to the position in which it is shown in Figure 2, pressure is exerted as at B to draw the hood in and hold it inwardly under the tension of the spring Any suitable guiding retaining abutments are formed in the end wall of the aperture 13 and on the sliding abutment member E to retain the springEin position; N i

The upward movement of the shank or latch bolt C and its assembly in response to the ex'pansion' of the spring D may be limited as by any suitable stop D herein shown as upset from the shank C itself.

It will be realized that whereas we have described and shown a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of our invention. WVe therefore wish our description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting us to our specific showing.

The use and operation of our inventionare as follows:

In the operation of the device, assume that the parts are in the unlocked position in which they are shown in Figure 6. The user applies downward pressure to the handle portion C in the general direction indicated by an arrow in Figure 6. This downward pressure moves the shank or latchbolt C and its assembly, compressing the spring D, until the nose formed by the notches C and (l passes beneath the lip A The downward pressure also tends to compress the spring E as shown in Figure 6, moving the upper end of the latch bolt or shank outwardly toward the inner face of the closure A. This causes an inward tilting of the locking nose toward the keeper and increases the ease with which the nose may be slid beneath the lip A of the keeper. As soon as the nose has crossed beneath the lip A the pressure on the handle C may be released and the expansion of the spring D will then be effected to move the parts into the locking position in which they are shown in Figure 2, and to hold them such position. The spring. also acts to draw the hood in toward the keeper by moving the shankC in the upper guide aperture against the abutment lip B. This causes the exertion of pressure at B tending to draw the hood inwardly. It is thus held tightly against the abutment members to which the hood is fitted. The camming thrust of the face C against the lip A applies force tending to draw the lower edge of the closure A downwardly and inwardly in a firm non-rattling engagement with the opposed parts of the automobile. In releasing the parts from locking position the user applies force upwardly upon the handle C- along the general direction of the arrow shown in Figure 5. This rotates the lever C about its axis C lifting the face C to the position in which it is shown in Figure 5 and thus forcing the lip A? outof the notch C C, or, more accurately, forcing the notch (3* downwardly and tilting the camming face 0 into a generally horizontal position, permitting its easywithdrawal from beneath the lip A surface 0, also acts as a kick-ofi, tending to push the latch assembly outwardly away from the keeper. The clockwise rotation of the lever C is limited also by the upper limit of the aperture C.

r We claim:

1. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding the latch bolt for movement along a generally upright path, said means including a plurality of vertically aligned guide members apertured to receive the latch bolt, the upper of said 1 guide apertures being elongated to permit the latch bolt to move in such aperture toward and away from the hood, the lower guide aperture conforming generally to the dimensions of the latch bolt, means for normally urging. the latch bolt upwardly in relation to said guide members, and means tendingnormally to move the upper portion of said latch bolt inwardly away from the inner face of the hood, alongv said upper The finger C associated with the guide aperture, and means for actuating the latch bolt including a handle extending exteriorly of the hood and having a portion in operative relationship with the latch bolt.

2. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding the latch bolt for movement along a generally upright path, said means including a plurality of vertically aligned guide members apertured to receive the latch bolt, the upper of said guide apertures being elongated to permit the latch bolt to move in such aperture toward and away from the hood, the lower guide aperture conforming generally to the dimensions of the latch bolt, means for normally urging the latch bolt upwardly in relation to said guide members, and means tending normally to move the upper portion of said latch bolt inwardly away from the inner face of the hood, along said upper guide aperture, and means for actuating the latch bolt including a handle extending exteriorly of the hood and being pivoted to said latch bolt inwardly of the hood.

3. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding the latch bolt for movement along a generally upright path, said means including a plurality of vertically aligned guide members apertured to receive the latch bolt, the upper of said guide apertures being elongated to permit the latch bolt to move in such aperture toward and away from the hood, the lower guide aperture conforming generally to the dimensions of the latch bolt, means for normally urging the latch bolt upwardly in relation to said guide members, and means tending normally to move the upper portion of said latch bolt inwardly away from the inner face of the hood, along said upper guide aperture, and means for actuating the latch bolt including a handle extending exteriorly of the hood and being pivoted to said latch bolt inwardly of the hood, said handle including a portion adapted to engage the keeper when the parts are in latched position.

4. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding the latch bolt for movement along a generally upright path, said means including a plurality of vertically aligned guide members apertured to receive the latch bolt, the upper of said guide apertures being elongated to per mit the latch bolt to move in such aperture toward and away from the hood, the lower guide aperture conforming generally to the dimensions of the latch bolt, means for normally urging the latch bolt upwardly in relation to said guide members, and means belng in camming relationship.

5. In latching means for the multiple hinge closure of an automobile hood, a keeper positioned within the hood, a latch bolt positioned within the closure and means, mounted on the closure, for guiding the latch bolt for movement along a generally upright path, said means including a plurality of vertically aligned guide members apertured to receive the latch bolt, the upper of said guide apertures being elongated to permit the latch bolt to move in such aperture toward and away from the hood, the lower guide aperture conforming generally to the dimensions of the latch bolt, means for normally urging the latch'bolt upwardly in. relation to said guide members, and means tending normally to move the upper portion of said latch bolt inwardly away from the inner face of the hood, along said upper guide aperture including a spring having one spring abutment fixed in relation to the hood and anotllier spring abutment movable with the latch bo t.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 30th day of December NORTON A. MEARS. CHARLES A. PERRNON,

the opposed portions of handle and keeper 

